Oscillogram duplicator paper transport



June 25, 1963 E. LYNN OSCILLOGRAM DUPLICATOR PAPER TRANSPORT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 29, 1960 INVENTOR.

Edward Lynn ATTORNEYS June 25, 1963 Filed Dec. 29, 1960 E. LYNN OSCILLOGRAM DUPLICATOR PAPER TRANSPORT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Edvl ard Lynn ATTORNEYS June 25, 1963 E. LYNN 3,095,504

OSCILLOGRAM DUPLICATOR PAPER TRANSPORT Filed Dec. 29, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Edward Lynn ATTORNEYS States nite 3,095,564 CILLOGRAM DUPLICATOR PAPER TRANSPORT Edward Lynn, Bristol, Pa., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Dec. 29, 196i), Ser. No. 79,472 1 Claim. (Cl. 25065) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for reproducing information contained on large and ununifor-m sheets of paper and is particularly directed to an improved method and apparatus for simultaneously and continuously feeding both a long oscillogram, which may vary in length from 3 to 60 feet and in width from 2 to 12 inches, and a copy paper from a plurality of rolls into a duplicating machine and thereafter winding both the oscillogram and copy' paper onto a plurality of rolls after their emergence from a duplicating machine.

One of the devices currently being used to record scientific measurements data is the oscillograph. The wave forms or patterns produced by the oscillograph in response to changes in voltages are reproduced on long sheets of paper or the like to provide a permanent record. This permanent record is commonly called an oscillogram. These oscillograms usually contain several chan nels of simultaneously recorded analogue data and they vary in length from 3 to 60 feet and in width from 2 to 12 inches; the length and width depending upon the type of oscillogram being used and the various test conditions. In order to satisfy specific test requirements and more particularly to distribute information derived in any given test or tests, it frequently becomes necessary to duplicate the oscillograms produced therefrom.

In the reproducing of these oscillograms, it was a common procedure to photograph them, in which photographs for the desired number of reproductions were accomplished by the various accepted and established practices. Another system was to put the oscillogram through a blueprinting machine, which proved to be a costly and time consuming operation. These methods demanded the installation of the reproducing equipment at a location remote from the site of the operation, involved prohibitive costs and required a considerable amount of time before reproducing the data.

Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a device and teach a method for reproducing an oscillogram both rapidly and accurately.

Another object of the instant invention is toprovide a means for reproducing an oscillogram right at the site of the operation where the measurements are being recorded.

Yet another object of the instant invention is to provide an apparatus for simultaneously and continuously feeding both a long oscillogram and copy sheet into a duplicating machine and then winding both the oscillogram and the copy sheet upon separate rollers when they exit from the duplicating machine.

It is a further object to provide apparatus in accordance with the foregoing objects that is simple in construction and easy to operate.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the device disassembled and ready to be moved to a new location.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the device assembled and ready for operation.

FIG. 3 is a phantom-isometric view showing the feeding and take-up portions of the device in more detail.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the threading system.

As shown in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the duplicating machine 1 may beof any conventional type such as one having a housing, a tracking roll assembly, and a reflector assembly. The tracking roll assembly and the reflector assembly are not shown. This is a typical duplicating machine which is produced and purchased in the open market under the trade name Thermo-Fax and per se these interior details of the Thermo-Fax duplicating machine are not a part of this invention.

The duplicating machine is placed upon a box-like base member or support means 5 having a roof-portion 7 which is partially cut away to provide an enlarged port 9 therein. The duplicating machine 1 is adapted to seat on roof-portion 7 and rigidly secured thereon by any suitable means such as hasp-type fastener 11. A slideable panel or door 13 is carried by the base member 5 for covering and uncovering the port 9 therein. In FIG. 1, the panel 13 carried by base member 5 has been moved to the closed position and provides a receiving table for a letter size sheet of paper emerging from the duplicating machine 1. This enables the commercially available duplicating machine to be used for the reproduction of conventional sized records, in addition to being utilized for the duplication of relatively long records in sheet form.

Base member 5 carries a removable frame member 15 on one end thereof which provides a support means for spools 17 and 19. Frame member 15 is provided with a pair of depending legs 21 and 23 which are adapted to be received in holes 25 and 27 in base member 5 (FIG. 1) for holding the frame member 15 in a predetermined position on the base member. Frame member 15 holds two pins 29 and 31 therein for rotatably supporting spools 17 and 19 respectively. The spool 19 is held in position on the frame 15 by the bias of spring 18 which is press-fitted against the said spool by the pin 29. Likewise, the pin 31 contains a similar spring 20 (not shown) which is press-fitted against the spool 17 by the pin 31. The pins 29 and 31 are capable of being moved axially against the bias of their respective springs to permit removal and insertion of the spools.

The duplicating machine 1 carries a pair of opposed ears or brackets 33 and 35, which rotatably support idler rollers 37 and 39. Each idler roller 37 and 39 in turn carries a pair of adjustable spacing collars 41-41 and 4343, respectively. The duplicating machine 1 is also provided with a plurality of paper guides 45 adjacent the inlet slot 47 thereof. The guides 45 are spaced apart at different'dimensions so as to be capable of receiving paper of varying widths. The duplicating machine 1 is also provided with another rotatable idler roller 49 in the outlet or exit chute 51 thereof.

An oscillogram in roll form 53 and a roll of sensitized copy paper 5 5 are carried on rotatable feed spools .17 and 1-9, respectively, and are simultaneously fed through the duplicating machine 1 provided with a heat lamp 57 and a drive belt 59 (shown in the schematic diagram in FIG. 4). The oscillogram 53 and copy sheet are passed through the duplicating machine -1 and emerge from the outlet 51. As shown in FIG. 3, the interior of box-like support member '5 is adapted to rotatably receive the takeup spools 61 and 6'3 in addition to rotatably receiving idler rollers 65 and 67. Take-up spools 61 and 63 are carried on rotatable shafts 69 and 71, respectively, and a pair of pulleys 73 and 75 are mounted on the free ends of the two shafts. The pulleys 73 and 75 and in turn the take-up spools 61 and 63 are driven by an electric motor 77 which is drivingly connected to the pulleys 73 and 75 by a tension spring type of belt 79. Another pulley 81 carried by the armature shaft 33 of the motor 77 provides the driving means for the tension spring belt 79. The tension spring belt 79 is adjusted so that when the motor runs at a rate above a predetermined limit, the spring belt will slip thereby disengaging itself from the pulleys 73 and 75. This, in effect, provides a slip clutch arrangement in that it will permit relative rotary movement between the armature shaft of the motor 77 and the spools 61 and 63 in the event the load exerted by the spools 61 and 63 exceeds a predetermined amount. The slip clutch arrangement is necessary to prevent damage to the oscillogram and copy paper being Wound on the take-up spools 61 and 63 and more particularly serves to keep the two sheets in a taut condition as they are being rolled onto the take-up spools without the danger of tearing them.

The motor 77 for driving the take-up spools 61 and 63 is supplied with power from the duplicating machine 1 by a cable (not shown) extending between the machine 1 and the box-like support member 5. A coupling 62 permits easy attachment and detachment of the cable from the duplicating machine 1. A power cable 85 is connected to the duplicating machine land is adapted to connect the machine to any suitable source of power.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the rear end of the box-like support member is provided with a pair of storage compartments 8'7 and 89, which are normally closed by a pair of hinged doors '91 and 93, respectively. Compartment S7 is adapted to house power cable 85 when the feed and take-up device is not in use, and compartment 89 is adapted to store frame member 15 and the spools carried thereby.

The operation of the invention can best be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 through 4. The frame member 15 is first placed in position on support member 5 and the spools 11 7 and 19 carrying the rolls of oscillogram 53 and sensitized copy paper 55, respectively, are then placed in position on the pins 29 and 31. The oscillogram sheet 53 and copy paper sheet 55 are then unrolled by hand and threaded under idler rollers 37 and 39, following which they are together placed in the guide means 45. Each idler roller 37 and 39 in turn carries a pair of adjustable spacing collars 41-41 and 43-43, respectively. The spacing collars serve as guides for the copy paper and the oscillogram sheet. This allows for the accommodation of oscillogram having diiferent widths. The spools 17 and 19 are constructed so as to be variable in span and the pins 29 and 31, being spring biased, are able to receive the different size oscillograms varying in width from 2 to 12 inches. After the oscillogram and copy sheet have ben placed in the guide means 45, both sheets are then simultaneously inserted into the intake slot 47 of the duplicating machine until both sheets are in contact with the drive belt 59.

Referring to the schematic diagram of FIG. 4, the operation of the duplicating machine 1 is initiated and controlled by a plurality of control elements carried by the machine. An interlock switch 99 controls the energization and de-energization of the heat lamp 57 in the machine. A speed selector dial i105 enables the operator of the machine to vary the speed of the drive belt 59 driven by motor 60 and thereby vary the rate at which the oscillogram 53 and copy paper 55 pass through the machine. A temperature gauge .106 provides a visual indication of the temperature to which the oscillogram 53 and copy paper are internally exposed. The power or main switch 101 serves to place the duplicating machine 1 in circuit with a source of power and is movable between the ON and OFF positions. When switch 101 is in the OFF position, the machine 1 and the motor 77 for the take-up spools are incapable of operation. When the switch 101 is moved to the ON position, all circuits are energized. However, the heat lamp circuit may be simultaneously deenergized by moving interlock switch 99 to the OFF position. A pair of signal lamps 109 and 111 are energized in response to the movement of switch v10 1 to either one of its selected positions and they provide a visual indication of the position of the switch. This serves as a reminder to the operator of the duplicating machine that it is either off or on. The oscillogram 53 is now ready to be reproduced.

With the interlock switch 99 in the OFF position on the duplicating machine 1, the power switch [101 is now moved to the ON position to start movement of the drive belt 5 9 and thus start the passage of the oscillogram 53 and copy paper 55 through the duplicating machine 1. When approximately a two foot length of the oscillogram 53 and copy paper 55 have been discharged from the exit chute 51 of the duplicating machine 1, the power switch is then moved to the OFF position to cease all operation of the machine and thus stop the movement of the two sheets. The two sheets are now in a position to be attached to the take-up spool 61 and 63. Oscillogram sheet 53 is attached to take-up spool 61 by first being threaded over idler roller 65 and under idler roller 66. It is then hand wound on the spool 61 with the free end of the sheet 53 being first inserted and anchored into a slot (not shown) in the body portion of the spool 61. The oscillogram '53 is hand wound on the spool until the portion thereof extending between the spool 61 and the exit chute 51 is taut, the tautness of the sheet insuring a positive take-up between the spool 61 and the oscillogram being wound thereon. The sheet of copy paper is correspondingly threaded over idler roller 67 and under idler roller 68 and attached to take-up spool 63, the free end of the copy sheet 55 also being anchored in a slot in the body portion of the spool 63. The spool 63 is hand wound until sheet 55 is taut. With both sheet attached to the take-up spools, weight .103 in the form of a plexiglas sheet or the like is placed over both the oscillogram sheet 53 and the copy paper sheet 55 above the guide means 45 to insure a positive engagement between both the oscillogram and copy sheet prior to entry into the intake slot 47.

The tension spring belt 79 will insure that the speed of the take-up spools 61 and 63 are kept in harmony with the speed of the drive belt which is passing both the oscillogram 53 and copy paper 55 through the duplicating machine 1.

When the oscillogram sheet 53 has been completely unwound from spool 17 and completely wound on pickup spool 61, the machine 1 is stopped by first moving the interlock switch 99 to the OFF position. Immediately thereafter, the sheet of copy paper 55 while moving is severed or cut adjacent idler roller 39. If the reading on the temperature gauge 107 is below a predetermined limit, the power switch .101 is then moved to the OFF position to thereby cease all operation of the machine and the feed and pickup device. In the event the temperature reading is above a predetermined limit, the power switch is maintained in the ON position until sufficient cooling of the drive belt 59 has taken place.

After the reproduction of the oscillogram, the loaded spools 61 and 63 are removed from the support member 5 and empty spools are inserted in place thereof. The loaded oscillogram spool 61 may be transferred to the position occupied by the now'empty oscillogram feed spool 17 or a new oscillogram feed spool may be placed in frame member 15. The oscillogram sheet 53 and copy sheet 51 are now ready to be unwound and threaded over idler rollers 37 and 39 to thereby start the reproduction of another oscillogram.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A portable duplicating machine which may be used in the reproduction of oscillograms, the machine comprising in combination:

(a) a base member having a cover which is partially cutaway to provide an enlarged port therein;

(b) a frame removably fastened in an upright position to the base member at its open end;

(c) a first spool designed to hold an oscillogram;

(d) a spring biased pin for rotatably securing the first spool to the frame;

(e) a second spool positioned on the frame above the first spool and being adapted to receive a copy paper;

( a second spring biased pin for r-otatably securing the second spool to the frame above the first spool;

(g) a duplicating means located on the cover of the said base member, said duplicating means being adapted for receiving the oscillogram and the copy paper from their respective spools;

(h) a first pair of rollers suitably attached to the said cover through which both the oscillogram and the copy paper are threaded for maintaining tension upon both the oscillogram and copy paper whereby the copy paper is pressed upon the oscillogram;

(i) a third spool placed on the bottom of the base member for receiving the oscillogram as it exits from the duplicating means;

(i) a first shaft passing through the third spool for rotatably attaching the said third spool to the base member;

(k) a fourth spool placed on the bottom of the base member for receiving the copy paper as it exits from the duplicating means;

(I) a second shaft passing through the fourth spool for rotatably attaching the fourth spool to the base member;

(m) a second pair of rollers suitably attached to the base member, through which both the osci-llogram and the copy paper are threaded, for maintaining tension upon both the oscillograrn and copy paper as they are being Wound upon the third and fourth spools respectively;

(n) a first pulley connected to one end of the said first shaft;

(0) a second pulley connected to one end of the said second shaft;

(p) an electric motor attached to the base member;

(q) an armature shaft attached to the motor and extending therefrom;

(r) a third pulley joined to the end of the armature shaft and (s) a tension spring belt placed over the three pulleys, said belt being positioned so that if the motor turns above a predetermined speed the belt will stretch and thereby slip causing it to disengage the first and second pulleys thereby coordinating the speed of the receiving spool-s to the speed of the duplicating means thereby serving to maintain both the oscillogram and the copy paper in a taut condition thereby eliminating the danger of tearing either of them as they are rolled onto the respective spools.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,120,249 Shoup Dec. 8, 19 14 1,452,228 St-raubel Apr. 17, 1923 2,859,352 Sugannan Nov. 4, 1958 2,927,210 OMara Mar. 1, 1960 2,974,409 Ghinazzi Mar. 14, 1961 

